The Los Angeles Police Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a man who was caught on video punching two women in downtown Los Angeles.

The assault occurred Friday night near 6th and Spring streets, according to LAPD Det. Meghan Aguilar.

The two women were waiting to buy hot dogs from a street vendor when the man in front of them began arguing with the seller, Aguilar said.

“One of the women told him to grab his hot dog and go because the line was getting longer,” she said, “and he took offense to it and punched her.”

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A man who was standing a few feet from the women captured the assault on video and shared it with the women while also posting it on his Facebook account.

Attention Los Angeles — this guy brutally punched two women at a hotdog stand on Jan. 26 in the area of 6th & Spring. Someone knows him, and we would like to be one of those people. If you have any info contact Detective Gonzalez 213-996-1851 (after hours contact 213-486-6606). pic.twitter.com/DN1Og1lToM

The video shows a tall, bearded man with a mohawk and a tattoo on his left forearm punching each woman in the face with a closed fist. He punches first one woman and then another woman who steps in to confront him. The man then punches the first woman as she tries to get up from the ground and delivers a roundhouse punch to the second woman, knocking her to the ground as well.

The man is then seen fleeing in the video.

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Aguilar said the women were taken to a nearby hospital. Both suffered concussions, and at least one of the women suffered a broken finger.

The women reported the assault the next day.

Aguilar said none of the bystanders notified police about the attack, which she says is now being investigated as an assault with a deadly weapon.

“If people don’t call,” Aguilar said, “the police can’t do anything.”

Anyone with information that could help detectives in the case is asked to contact Det. Gonzalez at (213) 996-1851 or after hours at (213) 486-6606.

Ruben Vives is a general assignment reporter for the Los Angeles Times. A native of Guatemala, he got his start in journalism by writing for The Times’ Homicide Report in 2007. He helped uncover the financial corruption in the city of Bell that led to criminal charges against eight city officials. The 2010 investigative series won the Pulitzer Prize for public service and other prestigious awards.